Nine one-hundredths to harry g



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. L GOURLEY. SKIRT ELEVATOR.

Patented May 4, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet :2.

J. L, GOURLEY. SKIRT ELEVATOR.

No. 581,884. Patented May 4, 1897.

llnrrnn STATES JOHN L. GOURLEY, OF TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OFFORTY- NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO HARRY G. I-IILBER'I, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SKIRT-ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,884, dated May 4,1897.

Application filed June 17, 1896.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GOURLEY,a citizen of the United States,residing at Tarentum, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGarment-Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improved support for ladies wearing-apparel;and it consists in a belt adapted to be placed about the waist, a devicepivoted to the said belt in a manner that Will enable the wearer to liftor elevate the skirts at the rear while crossing wet or muddy places,and also to use the said belt as a means for attaching and supporting ahustle and side pads, together with the certain details of constructionand arrangement of parts, as will be fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved garmentsupport arranged in position about the waist of thefemale, showing the altered position to elevate the skirt in dottedlines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the same detached fromthe person. Fig. 3 is a full-sized sectional View of a portion of thebelt, showing the manner of pivoting the device to the same. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the same device applied to the person and havingattached thereto a bustle and side pads. Fig. 5 is an enlargedperspective view of the same having the side pads removed. Fig. 6 is aside elevation of one of the side pads, showing means for attachment tothe belt.

To construct a device in accordance with my invention and thereby enablethe wearer to elevate the skirt at the rear, I provide a piece ofspring-wire or other suitable material and bend the same in the form ofa semicircle 5, one end of which terminates in a loop or eye et-and theother extremity bent down to form a lever 6. In forming this lever aportion of the wire is made into another loop Serial No. 595,834, (Nomodel.)

or eye located at the other extremity of the semicircular portion 5.This wire thus formed is pivoted by means of suitable rivets 3 to a belt1 and the said belt provided with a buckle 2 for adjustment about theWaist.

In operation the device is worn beneath the skirts and the lever 6 bentto the contour of the hips. By a backward pressure on the point of thelever 6 the same will move back about the pivots, carrying thesemicircular portion 5 upward, as shown in Fig. 1 in dotted lines,thereby lifting the skirts at the rear evenly and without exposing oropening the vent, as is the case when raised or-elevated by hand in theordinary manner.

At Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings I have shown the same device abovedescribed having detachable side pads 10 and bustle 7, together withbuttons 11 or other analogous device to be used as a means of attachingthe waistband of the skirt thereto, thereby preventing the same fromsliding downward. This bustle 7 and side pads 10 are attached to thebelt by ordinary hook-and-eye fastening and may be removed if desired.

If it is desired, a second lever may be arranged upon the opposite sideof the device, in order that it may be operated from either side.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- A means for elevatingskirts consisting of a belt, adapted to be placed about the waist of thewearer, a wire or metallic strip 5 bent in the form of a semicircle andpivoted to the said belt by means of rivets, a downwardlyprojectingportion 6, bent in the form of a loop, and integral with the said wire 5to form a lever, whereby the said semicircular portion may be elevated'or lowered about its pivotal points, all arranged and combined forservice, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signaturethis 8th day of June, A. D. 1896.

JOHN L. GOURLEY. [L. s] In presence of-- JOHN G. THOMPSON, GEO. W.LownN.

